Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Growing up Catholic, Michael had baked macaroni and cheese and other no-meat dishes on Fridays. My family had no such tradition and frankly for years I never had anything more than stove top macaroni and cheese out of the familiar blue box. I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I do clearly remember that I was of elementary school age when I had my first experience with baked macaroni and cheese…in the school cafeteria. A yellowish-brown gelatinous blob was dropped onto my tray and I just stared, convinced that no one could possibly eat it. I took a taste but never finished the serving. And that experience is proof in my book that it is possible to screw up something as simple and wonderful as baked macaroni and cheese. In fact I didn’t even try it again until I was in college and had some in the university’s cafeteria, but this time it didn’t seem so bad as my prior experience.

Now I like to experiment with macaroni and cheese, and I constantly seek out different cheese combinations and toppings. This recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen, and it uses freshly grated extra sharp cheddar and colby cheeses with a fresh bread crumb topping. It makes a large family-sized batch, so cut the recipe in half if you want to make it for just two or three people. This makes a great dish for the busy holiday season because you can prepare it in advance and refrigerate or freeze it unbaked and then pull it out later for an easy meal. Check out the insructions for refrigerating and freezing below.

Hand shredding the cheese is very important because preshredded cheeses are coated to prevent the cheese from clumping together in the bags, and that coating prevents the cheese from melding with the milk mixture. So you will be left with little clumps of cheese and the sauce won’t thicken properly. So for all your cheese sauces, make the minimal time investment and buy bricks of cheese and shred it yourself with a box grater or food processor.

Equipment

small bowl (for melting butter)
food processor
6 to 8 quart pot with lid
9 x 13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (about 2 slices white bread run through a food processor)
kosher salt
16 ounces macaroni
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I use Wondra® or Pillsbury Shake and Blend.)
3-1/2 cups whole milk (not lowfat or skim)
1-3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
16 ounces Colby cheese, hand-shredded
8 ounces extra sharp cheese, hand-shredded
fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Move an oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 400° F.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and stir together with the fresh breadcrumbs.

3. Add 4 quarts of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and pour in the macaroni, stirring. Cook until the macaroni is almost tender but still firm to the bite. Don’t overcook it because it still needs to go into the oven with the cheese sauce. Drain the macaroni and keep it in the colander.

4. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter to the hot pot and melt over medium heat. Add the garlic, mustard mixture, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. Add the flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute. You want the flour to take on a golden hue and to give off a slightly nutty aroma. Add the milk and broth and whisk. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook while whisking for about 6 minutes. The mixture should thicken just a bit.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the Colby and cheddar until they are completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the cooked macaroni. Break up any clumps and make sure the macaroni is completely coated with the sauce.

7. Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown. Allow to stand and cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

To prepare ahead, do all the steps except topping with breadcrumbs and baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow the macaraoni and cheese to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

To freeze, cover the plastic wrap layer with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before sitting at room temperature.

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Source: adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook